


Hub life

by Rosetylars



Series: Cricverse [23]
Category: Cricket RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Sharing Clothes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:40:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26283553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetylars/pseuds/Rosetylars
Summary: Hunger, coffee drama and video game tanking...A light take on some of the Aussie boys' antics inside the biosecure hub.
Relationships: Aaron Finch/Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey/Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis/Adam Zampa, Pat Cummins/Mitch Marsh, Tim Paine/Steve Smith
Series: Cricverse [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755766
Comments: 11
Kudos: 11





	Hub life

**Author's Note:**

> This follows on from [The longest flight in history](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26123518) but can be read on its own.
> 
> ***  
> England, August-September, 2020.

By the time the squad got to the hotel from the airport, they were all starving. Pat wanted to do nothing more than curl up in bed with Mitch and sleep, and Mitch was clearly thinking the same thing.

They all had to have their temperatures checked before entering the hotel grounds, and then they needed nasal swabs, too.

Mitch was practically asleep on his feet - Pat knew he couldn’t function when he was hungry. He leant heavily against Pat, hooking his head over Pat’s shoulder as they queued up for their tests.

“Baby, we still have some nuts in our bag,” Pat suggested. “Do you want them?”

Mitch nodded. “Please, I’ll eat anything right now,” he mumbled.

Pat looked behind them to where they had left their bags, but they had all been taken away.

Pat frowned. “Does anyone know where the bags went?”

Aaron groaned on the end of a ferocious yawn.“They took them all away to disinfect them,” he replied.

Pat groaned, tired and fed up, distressed that his husband was starving. “For real? We’re from Perth, for God’s sake,” he huffed.

JL, calm and composed as ever, turned to face Pat from ahead in the queue. “Didn’t know you’d officially moved, mate,” he teased. “Always knew you’d see the light eventually.”

Mitch chuckled weakly, at that, and Pat just rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean,” Pat sighed.

Behind them, Adam was leaning against Marcus, zipped into Marcus’ jacket, so they looked like some kind of snuggly two headed creature.

“It’s so fucking cold,” Adam grumbled, just as tired, hungry and grumpy as everyone else.

Marcus pressed a kiss into his hair, shifting his arms under the jacket to tighten his cuddle around Adam’s waist. “Not long until we’re inside, Adsy, then we can eat and sleep,” Marcus placated.

Adam groaned, leaning his head back against Marcus’ chest.

Eventually, their line started moving, and they were all eventually inside a big common area that they could eat in.

They had to sit either one or two to a big table, but everyone was too tired and hungry from the 24 hour travelling expedition to put up a fight.

There was lunch prepared, but they couldn’t share, so they were all given their own individual serves.

“I’m so tired I feel sick. I can’t finish this,” Glenn told Aaron, after a while.

Aaron frowned. Glenn had barely touched his food. “Are you sure? You haven’t eaten enough since we left home,” Aaron worried.

Glenn shrugged. “You know I can’t eat fancy food if I feel sick,” he grimaced.

Aaron chuckled. “Darling, vegetable spring rolls and salad aren’t fancy.”

Glenn laid his head on the table. “It’s all too much,” he whined dramatically.

From the next table over, Kane looked at Glenn with concern, and then looked to Aaron.

“Is everything okay?” Kane asked, eyebrows raised.

Alex rolled his eyes at his boyfriend. “Leave them alone, Kane,” he chastised.

Aaron just shrugged. “Someone’s just a little bit tired and grumpy,” he chuckled fondly.

Glenn raised his head enough to meet Aaron’s eyes. “Let me sleep, then,” he protested.

Aaron sighed. “You have to eat something. How about some plain toast when we get to our room?”

Glenn’s eyes lit up. “Fuck, I’d die for some crispy toast right now,” he declared.

Aaron laughed. “Okay, Maxi. Hold tight. We’ll be in our room soon.”

***

As always, Pat insisted on a shower before he and Mitch headed to bed.

True to form, Mitch protested. “Patty, please, I’m so tired,” he whined.

Pat sighed, pressing a placating kiss to his forehead, before unzipping their newly disinfected baggage to find them both some pyjamas, and free their toiletries and phone chargers.

Mitch just sat on the edge of the bed, half asleep.

“You always sleep better when we’re clean,” Pat reasoned.

Mitch knew he was right. As always. He let Pat take him by the hand into their bathroom, and managed not to fall asleep in the shower. Pat also insisted they brush their teeth.

By the time they were clean and minty and settled into bed, Mitch knew Pat had been right. They were going to sleep so much better now that they were clean.

“You smell nice,” Mitch mumbled, face buried in Pat’s chest as they curled up in the crisp white sheets.

Pat chuckled. “It’s just soap, baby. You smell the exact same,” he pointed out gently.

Mitch smiled sleepily. “You have good ideas,” he murmured.

Pat huffed a laugh, pressing a kiss to Mitch’s forehead. “I know you, baby. Let’s get some rest before dinner.”

Mitch nodded, falling asleep within minutes, in the familiar comfort of Pat’s arms.

***

In the room next door, Steve felt jittery. He was very tired, but also a little bit anxious.

He dialled Tim’s phone.

“Hello, my love,” Tim greeted warmly.

“Sorry, I know it’s late at home,” Steve began.

“It isn’t even eleven yet, baby, and I’d much rather speak to you than sleep, anyway. How have you been since we spoke when you landed?”

“Tired,” Steve replied honestly. “We’re all gonna try and sleep now, but I missed your voice.”

Tim sighed into the phone. “Baby,” he cooed. “I miss you already. I’ve been thinking about you all day,” he admitted.

Steve’s heart flipped. They had been engaged for eight months, but it still gave him shivers to hear Tim say things like that.

Steve bit his lip, deciding to be honest. “I’m just worried I’ll get into bed and realise you’re not here, and panic,” he admitted.

Tim sighed again, obviously distressed that Steve was on his own. He had an idea. “How about we stay on the line? We can put it on wifi call, so you don’t need to worry about roaming,” he suggested.

Steve would never have thought of that when he was so overtired, and just the thought filled him with relief. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”

Tim chuckled. “Of course, darling. I hate sleeping without you, too. Last night was hard. The bed still smells like you,” he admitted softly.

Steve’s heart ached, at that. Tim missed him just as much, and he had only been in England for a couple of hours.

They chatted for a little while before Tim encouraged Steve to put some pyjamas on.

“I saw you pack the long sleeved T-shirt I was sleeping in the night before you left,” Tim teased, laughter on his tongue.

Just the sound made Steve’s heart warm. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Timmy,” Steve lied, grinning. “Are you calling me a thief?”

“You said it, not me,” Tim chuckled.

Steve laughed. “If I were a thief, I’d probably sleep in it right now while it still smells like you,” he mused.

Tim melted, on the other end of the phone. “Baby,” he whispered. “Don’t say stuff like that when it’s barely been a day and I already miss you so much.”

Steve’s heart ached. “Miss you more,” he added.

***

There was a little kitchenette in the players’ rooms, and Aaron managed to acquire some bread and margarine from the kitchen staff in the dining hall.

Glenn flopped down on the bed as soon as they got into their room, and Aaron set about toasting some bread.

It was as if Glenn rose from the dead. “Oh my god, that smells amazing,” he declared.

Aaron chuckled. “Maxi, it’s bread in a toaster.”

“What a treat!” Glenn replied, not even joking.

Aaron just shook his head fondly, waiting for the toast to pop before smoothing in just the right amount of margarine for Glenn’s taste.

“Gourmet lunch for one Mister G. Finch,” Aaron teased, placing a plate down on Glenn’s lap where he sat on the couch.

Glenn narrowed his eyes at Aaron. “Don’t play surnames with me without proposing first,” he warned lightly.

Aaron pecked Glenn on the cheek. “Yes, boss,” he grinned cheekily.

***

When Steve woke up from his nap, twenty minutes before their team dinner, he realised his phone was still on a call to Tim. Tim was still asleep - thankfully, because it was about 3am back at home - and Steve could hear his soft snores through the phone. Steve’s heart ached, wishing he could just kiss Tim’s forehead and make sure he was all tucked in. 

Steve couldn’t bear to hang up, so he decided to mute his own microphone - he was about to head out to the common area, and didn’t want twenty noisy boys to wake his fiancé - and put in an earbud, so if Tim woke up, Steve would hear.

He had napped in track pants and Tim’s pyjama top, so he just pulled a hoodie over the top and decided that was as much effort as was required at this point.

When he arrived downstairs to the dining area, he sat at the other end of Marnus’ table.

Marnus gave him a warm smile as he approached.

“Sleep okay?” Steve asked.

Marnus nodded. “Spoke to Bek then went straight to sleep,” he replied cheerily.

“How is she?”

Marnus shrugged. “She’s fine, but it sounds like the dog is missing me more than she is,” he chuckled.

Steve laughed. “He’ll definitely miss sitting under you at the dinner table and eating all the food you drop,” he mused. “Poor dog.”

Marnus rolled his eyes. “I do not _drop food,”_ he protested. “I’m not a messy toddler.”

Steve gave him a look. “Sure, Marn. Whatever you say.”

It was then that Marnus realised Steve had an earbud in. “Are you listening to music?”

Steve shook his head. “It’s Tim,” he replied, as if commenting on something as commonplace as the weather.

Marnus narrowed his eyes, looking at his watch. “It’s literally the middle of the night.”

Steve just shrugged. “He’s asleep.”

Marnus blinked slowly. “Mate, you know that’s kind of weird, right?”

“What’s weird?” Adam asked, sitting down at the empty table, a wide distance beside them. He was wearing an oversized black hoodie with yellow trimmings, and Steve realised immediately that it was Marcus’ WA jumper.

Marcus sat opposite him, still looking a bit rumpled from sleep.

“Smudge’s on the phone to Tim. While Tim sleeps,” Marnus explained quizzically.

Adam just blinked slowly. “That sounds like the most boring phone call ever,” he deadpanned.

Steve rubbed his eyes. “We were talking before we both went to sleep and, well… I’d feel mean hanging up now,” he shrugged.

Marcus and Adam exchanged a look.

“If I ever get that sappy, please break up with me,” Adam told Marcus.

Marcus just laughed warmly. “Leave him alone, Adsy. It’s _romantic._ ”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “Are you hearing yourself? I think it’s more romantic when you’re covered in oil and we-“

“Okay, that’s enough,” Marnus held up a hand, silencing Adam.

Steve just laughed, shaking his head fondly. And if Tim’s soft breaths were bringing him comfort, he didn’t mind being laughed at.

***

The following morning, there was a team meeting. Pat and Aaron were going to do a schoolyard pick to make up their teams for the intra-squad practice matches.

As everyone filed in, Mitch sat down beside Pat, his thigh pressed against Pat’s. Mitch put his chin on Pat’s shoulder.

“You’ll pick me, right?” Mitch pouted.

Pat chuckled, turning his head to catch Mitch’s lips in a kiss. “Of course, Mitchy. Unless Aaron picks you first.”

Mitch frowned. “He wouldn’t.”

As it turned out, he would.

Aaron named Mitch, so with Pat’s next turn, he immediately named Glenn. The captain and vice captain exchanged a playful look, and JL just laughed.

“You boys are ridiculous,” he declared.

***

At first, Mitch thought it was a bit of a novelty to play against Pat.

And then he saw Pat warming up on the field, stretching his hamstrings, and decided to drape over Pat’s back in a heavy cuddle.

Pat grunted with surprise, standing up and turning around to accept Mitch’s hug, even though it had been barely twenty minutes since they had last spoken.

“Oi! Go talk to your own team,” Ash Agar teased, poking his tongue out at Mitch.

Mitch pouted. “He’s my husband. He’s always my team.”

“Aww, Mitchy,” Pat cooed, brushing a hand back through Mitch’s hair.

Ash made retching noises. “Mitch, mate, what the fuck? None of the other couples are being this sickly,” he teased.

Mitch frowned. “Because they’re all on the same team.”

“Except Glenn and Aaron,” Pat reminded.

Mitch pecked Pat on the lips before he left. “Gonna miss you,” he whispered.

Pat melted, kissing Mitch once more. “Gonna miss you more. Love you, baby.”

Ash retched once more, and Mitch knew he had outstayed his welcome.

“Fine, fine, I’m going,” Mitch chuckled, tucking Pat’s long hair back behind his ear before he went.

***

Mitch had faced his fair share of Pat’s bowling over the years, but the novelty still hadn’t worn off.

Pat knew exactly how Mitch played. He knew exactly how Mitch would react to certain deliveries, as familiar with Mitch's game style as he was with his own. So when Pat bowled Mitch a ball, inviting him to hit at it, Mitch did. And Ash Agar caught it.

The boys in Pat’s team ran over to celebrate with him, but Pat couldn’t help the ache in his chest as he saw Mitch walk off with 23 runs to his name.

When they got back to their hotel room, after rain interrupted the second innings, Pat made it up to Mitch. Thoroughly.

***

Everyone knew about Marcus and Adam’s ‘Love Cafe,’ but this trip brought out some other aspiring baristas.

Adam and Marcus started their day off with their specialty coffee. Marcus was pouring boiling water through the filter paper while Adam got dressed for the day, and Marcus couldn’t help but turn back and have a look at his boyfriend.

“Oi, careful, don’t ruin the coffee just because you want to cop a perv,” Adam chastised, mouth twitching as he fought back a smile.

Marcus laughed warmly, looking dutifully back at their mugs that had been lovingly transported from home, wrapped in clothing in their suitcase.

Once Adam was dressed, he squeezed one of Marcus’ bum cheeks for good measure, sitting cross legged on the bed as Marcus handed him the mug.

“It’s perfect,” Adam complimented, savouring the coffee.

Marcus grinned, sitting at the end of the bed with his own mug. “I was taught by the best,” he teased.

Adam smiled at the compliment. “We’ll have to make Kez a mug tomorrow morning. Apparently Kane has been drinking whatever Dave’s making,” he screwed up his nose at the thought.

Marcus grimaced. “Dave drinks dad coffee,” he declared.

Adam nodded solemnly. “He does. He and Shaun should start a dad coffee club,” he deadpanned.

Marcus laughed softly, at that. “Marn seems to think he’s quite the barista, too,” he added.

“Patty and Mitch have been drinking his stuff every morning,” Adam nodded. “He probably adds a sachet of sugar to it because he’s psycho,” he mused.

Marcus chuckled, humming in agreement. “He and Steve are probably playing card games right now.”

“They’ve probably both been up since five thirty,” Adam replied.

The boys shared a chuckle. Marnus and Steve had been trying to rope everyone into a bunch of games to pass their time in the hub, including one last night which had ended in Ash Agar storming out of the room with disgust, accusing Marnus of cheating and changing the rules for his own benefit. Mitch, who had been handing Pat the cards he needed under the table, had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the accusation. The memory made Marcus laugh.

“I give Marnus and Steve three days before they have an argument,” Marcus declared.

Adam huffed a laugh. “I give it two. Whoever’s right wins a massage?”

“Deal,” Marcus grinned, reaching out to take his boyfriend’s dainty hand in a handshake.

***

As it turned out, Marcus and Adam were both wrong. Marnus and Steve had a minor disagreement only twenty minutes later, at their team breakfast.

Mitch headed to Marnus and Steve’s table and handed the Queenslander two empty, rinsed out mugs. “Thanks, Marn, they were lovely,” Mitch said warmly.

“No worries, mate. Same thing tomorrow morning?” Marnus asked.

Mitch smiled. “That’d be lovely. Thanks, mate.”

“Perks of being suite neighbours,” Marnus chuckled, as Mitch squeezed his shoulder, heading back to his and Pat’s table.

Steve crossed his arms with a huff and a pout. “What was that all about?”

Marnus looked over to Pat and Mitch and shrugged. “Their room is next to mine, so I’ve been making them their morning coffee ‘cause I brought my coffee machine,” he explained.

“But I thought latte art was our thing,” Steve protested.

“It is, Smudge,” Marnus assured. “Pat and Mitch are just fussy about their morning coffees. It’s an honour they don’t mind them the way I make them,” he reasoned.

Steve pouted once more. “This isn’t fair. They should be letting _me_ make their coffees.”

Marnus chuckled, taking a sip from his own coffee. “But you don’t have a coffee machine, and you’re not next door to them.”

Steve sighed, picking up his phone to call Tim.

***

Fifteen minutes later, Pat was halfway through his poached eggs when his phone vibrated on the table between himself and Mitch.

Mitch raised his eyebrows. “Why would Timmy be calling?”

Pat shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

“Hi, Timmy, how are you?” Pat greeted warmly.

“Patrick James, why on Earth is my fiancé upset about _your_ morning coffee?”

Pat blinked. “He is? How come?”

Tim sighed. “Because you’re allegedly receiving them from Marnus, and he’s offended you like Marn’s coffees more than his.”

Pat looked at Mitch across the table. Mitch could normally gather what was going on in Pat’s phone calls, but because they were forced to sit at opposite ends of long tables, Mitch was lost.

“We- Marn offered to make us a coffee on our first morning here and he’s made us one every morning since,” Pat floundered. “He brought his own machine, Tim! Steve didn’t! Marn’s our room neighbour, I promise it’s not personal-“

“It’s personal to him,” Tim explained calmly.

“Steve doesn’t even like coffee,” Mitch chipped in.

Pat grinned at his support.

“Was that Mitch?” Tim asked.

“Yeah,” Pat confirmed, a little bit confused.

“Put him on,” Tim requested.

Pat shrugged, reaching down the length of the table to hand Mitch his phone.

“Timmy,” Mitch greeted warmly.

“Mitchell Ross Cummins-Marsh, you and your husband have upset my fiancé,” Tim declared.

Mitch frowned at Pat, and Pat just gave him a clueless look.

“Is it over the coffee thing? I’m sorry, Timmy, Marn just offered us coffee and we gratefully accepted. You know how we get when we don’t have a coffee first thing,” Mitch explained playfully.

Tim chuckled softly despite himself. “Okay, mate. Please just, I don’t know, tell Steve you’re sure his coffee is better or something,” Tim suggested.

Mitch laughed. “Okay, fine. We’ll even let him win at some card games or something.”

Tim laughed softly down the phone. “That seems like a mature resolution,” he deadpanned. “Hope you boys are all doing alright over there.”

***

That afternoon, they were all hanging out in the team recreation area. Pat and Mitch offered to play any game of Steve’s choice as a peace offering, though Steve _did_ catch on that Mitch wasn’t giving his best effort at MarioKart. Mitch was sitting on the floor, Pat behind him, bracketed in by his husband’s legs. Pat was watching over his shoulder.

“Mitchell, you’d better not be tanking,” Steve declared from the couch.

Pat chuckled into Mitch’s neck.

“I’m not,” Mitch lied. “I’m just a bit rusty.”

Steve gave Mitch a look. “I saw you demolish Starcy repeatedly at 200cc. Yesterday.”

Mitch knew he had been sprung, and he bit his lip, trying not to laugh.

Steve smelt a rat. “Mitch, did Timmy threaten you?”

Mitch and Pat both turned to look at Steve, at that, eyes wide.

“Maybe?” Mitch winced.

Steve just laughed, rubbing his eyes. “Oh my god. I love that man. But please, no more tanking. I want to beat you fair and square.”

For the record, Steve won one out of their next four Grand Prix. He was salty.

Pat declared he had asked for it.


End file.
